


Too hot (hot damn)

by fortytworedvines



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Pre-Relationship, the heat gets to them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 12:50:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15315876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fortytworedvines/pseuds/fortytworedvines
Summary: In the middle of a stiflingly hot night shift, Serena escapes to the roof to cool down. It doesn't go precisely as anticipated.





	Too hot (hot damn)

Serena is so hot that she can’t think. Two months into this heatwave and she still isn’t used to it. It’s not that she doesn’t like hot weather, she does; when she’s at home and can sit in the garden, in the shade, wearing as little as Jason will allow.

It shouldn’t be this hot at night. Her office is stifling, even with the door open. All the available fans are dotted round the ward in a futile attempt to make the patients more comfortable. She can’t work like this. Gathers a pile of papers and some pens. She catches Raf’s eye as she leaves the office. ‘Going to the roof’ she mouths and he nods assent.

She takes the lift, weighing up being hotter in a small enclosed space against expending actual effort on the stairs.

She steps onto the roof with a sigh of relief. It’s not precisely cool up here but there is a slight breeze and she feels less like she’s about to melt. It’s a clear night, there’s enough light from moon and stars to see by and she’s got her emergency torch in her pocket too. She knows there’s a few deck chairs stacked round the corner of the vents. This is an unofficial break area; somebody stashed them years ago and nobody has ever moved them.

She rounds the corner and stops, mouth dropping open. There, sprawled in a deck chair with her scrub top hanging precariously off the back, is Bernie Wolfe. Her eyes are closed, head tilted up as though seeking the breeze. She’s only wearing a thin black sports bra on her top half, displaying a very toned abdomen to the night.

Serena squeaks.

Bernie’s eyes flick open. ‘Serena!’ she says warmly. She doesn’t seem in the least embarrassed to be caught half dressed. Serena is hovering awkwardly by the vent. She doesn’t know whether she should stay or go. But Bernie waves her hand magnanimously at the stack of deck chairs. ‘Joining me?’

Serena bites her lip, then nods. ‘Far too hot in AAU,’ she says casually, as though conversing with half-naked colleagues is normal for her.

‘Keller is an oven,’ Bernie agrees. ‘I’ve been dripping so much sweat that my patients notes have blotches on them’. She honks a laugh. ‘Thought I’d escape up here for half an hour.’

Serena wrestles the deck chair open and sets it down half a foot away from Bernie. A respectable distance but not too far for conversation.

‘I didn’t think there’d be any one else up here,’ Serena says. ‘I’m sorry for intruding.’

Bernie’s eyes are closed again. ‘Not a problem. Anyway, you’re always welcome.’

‘Am I?’ Serena doesn’t really know what to make of that.

Bernie opens her eyes and winks. ‘Beautiful and intelligent woman? Why wouldn’t you be?’

Oh. Serena knows of Bernie’s sexual orientation; it was, after all, the gossip of the hospital. But it’s different to know something theoretically and to be on the receiving end of Bernie Wolfe in flirt-mode. To cover her confusion she picks up her pile of papers and opens the top folder, peering at it to see if it’s legible without resorting to her torch.

‘Oh no, you didn’t bring work, did you?’

It’s not quite readable, so Serena fishes her torch out of her pocket. ‘I’m not due a break just yet, so, yes.’

‘Oh, come on. I’m sure it can wait a while. It’s too lovely out here for paperwork.’

‘What, just – do nothing?’ That isn’t something that Serena makes a habit of, but nevertheless she drops the pile of paper (and the torch) on the floor.

‘Well, if you need something to do, I have an idea,’ Bernie grins, and stands up from her chair. Takes half a step towards Serena and lowers herself onto her lap.

Serena squeaks again as she finds she has a lap full of surgeon. Her arms slip automatically around Bernie’s waist, holding her in place.

Bernie smiles down at her, brushes her hair gently back from her forehead. ‘Is this okay?’

Serena can’t speak for the sudden dryness of her mouth, but she nods.

‘I’ve watched you,’ Bernie whispers, ‘And I’ve seen you watching me.’

Well, there goes any hope that she’d been subtle. She should have invented better reasons for her trips up to Keller.

Bernie looks up at the starry sky above. ‘You know, this is a very romantic setting for a first kiss.’

Serena’s heart is racing like the clappers. ‘Even better than I imagined it,’ she manages eventually.

Bernie’s reaction is everything she hoped for. Her eyes light up, her smile beams wide and she leans down. ‘You’ll have to tell me about it sometime.’

Serena lifts her face to Bernie’s and Bernie presses her thin, dry lips to hers, then draws back. Serena looks at her, all pale skin gleaming in starlight. ‘You’re beautiful,’ she whispers as she lifts a hand to trace Bernie’s collarbones. Bernie kisses her again, and again.

Then Bernie’s pager goes off. ‘Damn,’ she mumbles against Serena. ‘Oh well, stops us getting too carried away I suppose.’ She pulls herself reluctantly from Serena and draws on her scrub top.

Serena watches her, subconsciously licks her lips. Bernie turns to go and Serena puts out an arm, stilling her.

‘Bernie? Was this just a moment of mid-summer madness, or -?’

Bernie runs her hand down Serena’s arm, tangles their fingers together.

‘Dinner, tomorrow? I know a nice little Italian with an extensive wine list.’ She winks.

‘Oh,’ Serena breathes. ‘Okay.’

Bernie raises Serena’s hand to her mouth and kisses her fingers sweetly. ‘It’s a date.’

 

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this never ending heatwave and an overnight stay in a ward on a bakingly hot summer night.


End file.
